The present invention relates to a playing card wagering game that can be played with a typical forty-eight card Pinochle playing card deck or with the higher ranking portion, said portion comprising the card ranks of Nine through Ace, of a typical fifty-two card Poker deck or conglomeration of multiple said portions, or by video machine technology in a casino or home environment. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for playing a wagering game, wherein the game is not of Pinochle origin or set with rules for typical Pinochle play.
There are many wagering games used for betting or chancing. Such games should be entertaining to arouse players interest and uncomplicated so they can be easily understood by a large quantity of players. Ideally the game should offer more than one card drawing opportunity during the course of the game, yet be able to be played swiftly to a wager resolving outcome. Wagering card games particularly those intended for play in casinos should provide players with a sense of control and the opportunity to make more than one wagering decision and reasonable odds of winning although the odds favor the house or bank. The game must also accommodate the requirements of the regulatory agencies.
The wagering game of the present invention may be played with the higher ranking cards or portion, said portion comprising the card ranks of Nine through Ace of a typical fifty-two card Poker deck or with a typical forty-eight card Pinochle playing card deck or with a conglomeration of multiple said decks, said cards not having a standard rank and said game does not involve the generally well recognized and accepted set of rules, procedures and hand resolving outcomes of typical Pinochle or Poker game play. The card ranks of Two through Eight need not be used in the present invention. The game method comprises of each player placing an initial wager to participate in the game. Cards are dealt by a dealer, one card is dealt to each player and two cards are dealt to the dealer or house. Next after the players view their card said players are queried by the dealer that they can continue with their one card hand or that they can surrender their one card hand. Players that choose to surrender said hand can by forfeiting part of their initial wager. Those players that chose to continue their hand now have the option of being allowed to place an additional wager, for example a double down wager, next to their initial wager. Next players can draw up to two additional cards at no additional wager amount cost. Players that choose not to draw said additional cards must pay a wager amount for each of the two said cards not drawn. After all players are content with, and/or finished drawing cards to their hands the dealer draws the third and final card for the houses hand. Dealer reveals the houses cards and totals the houses hand cards value using a method unique to the present invention comprising of converting all cards standard rank with a different whole or fractional numerical rank value. After totaling the houses hand value using the above mentioned method, the dealer verbally announces said value to the players. The dealer examines each of the players cards and resolves each players bet. Players are not playing against the dealer, house or against each other.
Preferably the dealer receives three cards as described above. However, the predetermined amount of cards constituting a final or mandatory dealer hand may be more or less than three cards as desired, for example by the house or dealer. Thus, a fourth card, or even a fifth or more cards may be dealt to the dealer. Such other predetermined amount of cards dealt to the dealer are contemplated as falling within the scope of the claimed invention.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the participating players initial wager is a one part wager and is placed before any cards are dealt by the dealer. The dealer is dealt the first card and said card is dealt face down. Next each participating player is dealt one card face down in the customary fashion and again the dealer is dealt a card, but this second house card is dealt face up. Dealer queries the players that they can continue their hand or that they can surrender their one card hand by forfeiting a portion, for example one half, of their initial wager to the house or dealer. Surrendered players hands have no further obligation and are considered dead cards, said cards and forfeited portion of said players wagers of said hands are collected by the dealer. Remaining players are now given a decision opportunity to increase their initial wager by betting an additional amount, for example an amount equal to their initial wager, and placing said amount next to said wager. Next participating players have the decision option of drawing two additional face up cards at no additional wager cost on the basis of the players hand will equal in card quantity the quantity of cards in the dealers three card hand. Players that choose not to draw their next two cards must pay an additional amount, for example an amount equal to their initial wager, for each of the said cards not drawn on the basis of said player being allowed to customize their hands value with utilizing said drawing option. Each participating player will not use their one, two or three card hand score to compete against the dealers three card hand score, but will only use dealers said three card hand score or value as a median conscious target or zone to straddle to either side of with that players one, two or three card hand score value. After the players are finished placing the additional wagers that allows that player to not draw any or all additional cards to their hands and after all other participating players have received their additional cards the dealer draws the mandatory third and final face down card for the houses three card hand. Next the dealer reveals the houses two face down cards to the players. Next the dealer examines the cards in each participating players hand. Using a method unique to the present invention, the dealer computes the houses hand value wherein said value is only a median value, then separately totals the value of each participating players hand. Said unique method comprises converting, changing or giving the card ranks of Nine through Ace each a different numerical value. For example, in an embodiment of the invention the numerical values are as follows: all court face cards as in the card ranks of King, Queen and Jack are given the value of one, all card ranks of Ace are given the value of two, all cards with the numerical rank of Ten are given the value of zero and all cards with the numerical rank of Nine are given the fractional value of half card as in 0.5 (decimal point five). Each player now has the benefit of one, two or three cards and the dealer has a mandatory total of three cards used to cause the objective median for use by each participating player. Players are trying to straddle to either side of the dealers summed three card median score with their score by a straddle value, for example one whole value, to either side of the dealers score. Thus, for example, if dealers three cards are of an Ace, Queen and a Nine card giving a total score of three and a half then winning players summed hands score would have to total four and a half or total two and a half to be considered winning hands.
In particular, the scoring objective of playing the game of the present invention is that the players are trying to end up with a total summed score that will be exactly adjacent (for example, by one numerical value, by one and a half numerical value, by a numerical value of two, or even by a fractional numerical value like 0.5) to the dealers three card median total score. In other words, the players objective is to obtain a straddle value to either side of the dealers three card median total score. Thus, if the houses three card summed score total equals two and a half, and the straddle value is one to either side of the dealer""s score, then a players hand would need a total score of either one and a half or a total of three and a half to be considered a winning hand. Or, if the houses three card total score is one, and the straddle value is one to either side of the dealers score, then a players hand to be considered a winning hand score would need a total score of either zero as with having three cards with the rank of Ten or having a total score of two as in with a pair of face cards and a card rank of Ten, or as in having an Ace and two card ranks of Ten, or as in having an Ace and no additional cards drawn. All players total hands score that does not fall adjacent to the dealer median total score as in the guide line method mentioned above are considered losing hands. After the dealer examines each of the players cards said dealer determines what payout, if any, each player is entitled to receive according to that players total wager and their hands score, regarding if said score did fall or land on (i.e., straddle to) either side of the dealers summed three cards median score as in the straddling manner or method mentioned above. Payouts are made to the players with winning hands based on, for example, one for one odds or even money and the losing hands are collected. The next hand is dealt unless the cards are not sufficient in number to complete said hand, therefore the cards are reshuffled by the dealer for the next hand.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, each of the player positions includes three wagering areas.
Apparatus is disclosed for playing the wagering game according to the method outlined above. A typical gaming table with a playing surface is modified to include specific areas that provide locations for receiving the players wagers, an area for receiving and displaying the players cards, and an area for receiving and displaying the dealers cards. A card shuffling machine such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,884 for facilitating and speeding the play of the wagering may be used but is not necessary in the present invention.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide an exciting and new approach to the wagering game industry by detouring from the typical Poker game variations such as Five and Seven Card Stud or Draw Poker.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide options for easy and strategic play along with skill opportunities.
It is another aim of the present invention to provide opportunity for players to make decisions by giving said players the chance to draw or refuse to draw two additional cards, also giving said players the chance to hold or surrender their potential winning hand depending on that players strategic abilities and analyses of profitable play.
It is another aim of the present invention to provide a unique card game for play in casinos or at home and on various media including casino tables and or video machines.
It is yet another aim of the present invention to provide a new variation of two well known casino wagering games such as Baccarat and Red Dog wherein said invention combines in part both of the above mentioned games.
It is an advantage of the game of the present invention that wagering decisions, card drawing decisions along with surrender choices are inherent in the game.
Therefore the game enhances the players sense of participation and takes advantage of players inclination to change their decisions thereby providing an opportunity for the house to gain or profit due to player error.